Marriage contract no. 325: Preußen - Hessen-Darmstadt

Contract content

(fol. 1r): Invocation of God

Preface (fol. 1r-2r): Parties named, marriage agreed

Article 1 (fol. 2r-2v): Marriage agreed

Article 2 (fol. 02v-03v): Dowry (20,000 guilders) regulated, payment arrangements, receipt, trousseau (worth 10,000 guilders) regulated, list; bride’s renunciation of inheritance as long as the male line of the dynasty exists, groom’s consent; further inheritances settled, inheritance settled in the event of the extinction of the male line

Article 3 (fol. 03v-04v): Morning gift, clothing, hand money mentioned; annual pension (6,000); wedding gifts mentioned; court settled

Article 4 (fol. 04v-08v): Donatio propter nuptias (20,000 guilders) regulated, 4,000 guilders annual pension, widow’s dower, 20,000 instead of 4,000 guilders; if at least one male descendant is present: 30,000 annually, payment regulations, prescription; rights of use, etc., referral, insurance, consent mentioned; if the sums mentioned are not achieved: reimbursement regulated; rights of use, etc.; regulations on the income from the widow’s dower; widow’s residence (Oranienburg Palace), structural maintenance, household goods, trousseau, rights of use; oath of allegiance by subjects to the widow’s estates, obedience; Hiring/dismissal of servants; the subjects on the widow’s estates retain their privileges, freedoms, etc.; reservations of the groom (church and state regulations, hereditary homage, etc.); penalties mentioned; Appeal regarding the administration of justice as usual; provision of food on the widow’s estates for 1 year; thereafter: agreed widow’s dower valid; provision of wood regulated; inventory of trousseau, refurnishing of the widow’s dower; protection of the widow and the widow’s dower, travel mentioned; change of widow’s residence regulated; change and improvement of the widow’s dower regulated; Pledging, encumbrance, sale, etc. of widow’s estates excluded; structural maintenance, etc. regulated; If the widow’s estate has been transferred or encumbered with debts: settlement of costs regulated.

Article 5 (fol. 08v-09v): If the bride dies before the groom and there are no heirs: The trousseau and gifts that the bride did not give away during her lifetime or bequeath herself shall fall to the bride’s father/his successors; if these are not available, the estate shall fall to the bride’s next heirs; gifts from the groom (household decorations) shall revert to him; the groom receives the right of disposal over the dowry; after his death, it reverts to the bride’s father or his heirs; if these are not available, the dowry falls to the bride’s next heirs, until repayment: prescription of the widow’s dower

Article 6 (fol. 10r): If there are joint heirs, but they die during the lifetime of the bride and groom: inheritance of the marriage money as mentioned; if the bride dies and there are heirs: dowry, donation propter nuptias, the entire inheritance of the bride goes to the House of Prussia

Article 7 (fol. 10r-11v): If the groom dies before the bride and there are joint heirs or not: the bride receives the dowry, donation propter nuptias, trousseau and other gifts/possessions, etc., takes possession of the widow’s property, rights of use are regulated, the house jewels revert to the bride after her death; receipt of the widow’s dower, provision for joint descendants; provision for 1 year is regulated, household goods are regulated

Article 8 (fol. 11v-13r): If the bride remarries after the death of the groom and there are no male heirs from the first marriage: possible payment of the widow’s dower at the discretion of the groom’s heirs; if there are joint heirs: redemption of marriage money and half of the legacy regulated; repayment of the donation propter nuptias regulated; lifelong right of use by the bride; regulation regarding the 4,000 guilders; regulations regarding repayment; after the death of the bride: reversion to the joint heirs from the first marriage or their heirs; if there are no joint heirs from the first marriage: reversion of the dowry to the bride’s father/his heirs; disposal of half of the dowry until repayment, dowry, etc. accrue to the groom’s heirs.

Article 9 (fol. 13r-14r): If the groom dies after consummation of the marriage and before payment of the dowry: marriage contract valid; if the bride or groom dies before consummation of the marriage: marriage contract invalid; wills and family pacts of the houses of Prussia, Brandenburg and Hesse mentioned; compliance with the contract promised; two copies of the document; place, date, signature.

Regulations on succession to the throne

Confessional regulations

Regulations on inheritance law

Article 2 (fol. 02v-03v): Dowry (20,000 guilders) regulated, payment arrangements, receipt, trousseau (worth 10,000 guilders) regulated, list; bride’s renunciation of inheritance as long as the male line of the dynasty exists, groom’s consent; further inheritances settled, inheritance settled in the event of the extinction of the male line

Article 5 (fol. 08v-09v): If the bride dies before the groom and there are no heirs: The trousseau and gifts that the bride did not give away during her lifetime or bequeath herself shall fall to the bride’s father/his successors; if these are not available, the estate shall fall to the bride’s next heirs; gifts from the groom (household decorations) shall revert to him; the groom receives the right of disposal over the dowry; after his death, it reverts to the bride’s father or his heirs; if these are not available, the dowry falls to the bride’s next heirs, until repayment: prescription of the widow’s dower

Article 6 (fol. 10r): If there are joint heirs, but they die during the lifetime of the bride and groom: inheritance of the marriage money as mentioned; if the bride dies and there are heirs: dowry, donation propter nuptias, the entire inheritance of the bride goes to the House of Prussia

Article 7 (fol. 10r-11v): If the groom dies before the bride and there are joint heirs or not: the bride receives the dowry, donation propter nuptias, trousseau and other gifts/possessions, etc., takes possession of the widow’s property, rights of use are regulated, the house jewels revert to the bride after her death; receipt of the widow’s dower, provision for joint descendants; provision for 1 year is regulated, household goods are regulated

Article 8 (fol. 11v-13r): If the bride remarries after the death of the groom and there are no male heirs from the first marriage: possible payment of the widow’s dower at the discretion of the groom’s heirs; if there are joint heirs: redemption of marriage money and half of the legacy regulated; repayment of the donation propter nuptias regulated; lifelong right of use by the bride; regulation regarding the 4,000 guilders; regulations regarding repayment; after the death of the bride: reversion to the joint heirs from the first marriage or their heirs; if there are no joint heirs from the first marriage: reversion of the dowry to the bride’s father/his heirs; disposal of half of the dowry until repayment, dowry, etc. accrue to the groom’s heirs.

Article 9 (fol. 13r-14r): If the groom dies after consummation of the marriage and before payment of the dowry: marriage contract valid; if the bride or groom dies before consummation of the marriage: marriage contract invalid; wills and family pacts of the houses of Prussia, Brandenburg and Hesse mentioned; compliance with the contract promised; two copies of the document; place, date, signature.

Further contracts between contracting parties

Article 9 (fol. 13r-14r): If the groom dies after consummation of the marriage and before payment of the dowry: marriage contract valid; if the bride or groom dies before consummation of the marriage: marriage contract invalid; wills and family pacts of the houses of Prussia, Brandenburg and Hesse mentioned; compliance with the contract promised; two copies of the document; place, date, signature.

Commentary

Original contract divided into articles; contract pages not consistently numbered/filed

Literature

References

• Archive copy: HStAD Bestand B 1 Nr. 510
• Contract language archive copy: German
• Digitalisat Archivexemplar: https://arcinsys.hessen.de/arcinsys/digitalMediaViewer.action?archivalDescriptionId=1488013

Recommended citation

Dynastische Eheverträge der frühen Neuzeit. Contract No. 325. Philipps University of Marburg. Available online at https://dynastische-ehevertraege.online.uni-marburg.de/en/vertraege/325.html.

@misc{ Dynastische Ehevertr{“a}ge der fr{”u}hen Neuzeit, 
title = {Dynastische Ehevertr{“a}ge der fr{”u}hen Neuzeit: Contract No. 325},
 url = {https://dynastische-ehevertraege.online.uni-marburg.de/en/vertraege/325.html}
}